


part-time job

by dustofwarfare



Series: Insomnia U [2]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Consent is Sexy, First Times, Friends With Benefits, Frottage, Grinding, Kissing, M/M, barista!noctis, barista!squall, handjobs, insomnia u au, part time college job
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-12
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-07-11 12:20:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15972200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dustofwarfare/pseuds/dustofwarfare
Summary: Noctis is definitely flirting with him.He’s also a nice guy, and he doesn’t do anything that makes Squall uncomfortable, exactly, other than giving Squall this weird fluttery feeling in his stomach, and now the smell of coffee --even the cheap stuff his roommate Zell makes in the microwave with water from the bathroom sink, which, ew -- makes him think about Noctis standing close to him.I like him, Squall realizes, when Noctis’s hand brushes his and sends a zing of electricity up Squall’s spine. This has never happened to him before.___Thanks to his cute co-worker showing him the ropes, Squall learns a lot more than just how to make coffee.(In which Squall and Noctis have an awkward flirtation, an awkward first kiss, and a much less awkward first time.)





	part-time job

**Author's Note:**

  * For [marmolita](https://archiveofourown.org/users/marmolita/gifts).



> This is part of me and @marmolita's Insomnia U alternate universe! Noctis (pre-vet) is newly single after a mutual breakup with his girlfriend, Lunafreya, and looking to explore his attraction to guys. The cute new barista at the coffee shop seems perfect! Except it's physics student Squall Leonhart, who is clueless about making coffee _and_ flirting. Luckily, they give it the old college try ;) 
> 
> This was beta'd by Marmolita, and also *for* her for her birthday! Thanks for being so awesome, Lita! You're the best, and I love this AU and can't wait to write all the things <3!

The owner of the Loveless coffee shop -- the location of Squall’s new part-time job – is a former professor improbably named Genesis Rhapsodos. Before opening the coffee shop, he was apparently denied tenure for failing all his students in a seminar about  _ Loveless _ , the play that made up the center of his academic research. Apparently he’d burned his grade book and a copy of his dissertation in a trash can on the steps of the Lit department and told the chair, Dr. Clarus Amicitia, that he and his beloved Lord Avon could go to hell.

Squall doesn’t know how much of that is true, but it doesn’t seem too far-fetched. Genesis -- Squall can’t quite make himself call anyone  _ Mr. Rhapsodos _ \-- is definitely dramatic, but Squall finds everyone tiresome, regardless of their opinions on literature. Working for him won’t be any more stressful than working for anyone else, because people are terrible and make Squall tired.

Loveless is one of many coffee shops near the university, and it seems popular with the liberal arts students – even if Genesis told him emphatically that he won’t hire anyone with a liberal arts major. Squall, who is studying physics because he likes things to be orderly and make sense instead of inspiring trash fires, had no real response for this when Genesis told him in the interview.

Apparently the physics major thing worked in his favor more than his personality, because Squall got the job and here he is, ready for his first shift.

“Oh, there you are, Rainstorm,” Genesis says, when Squall shows up. Genesis has dark red hair and flashing eyes that look almost turquoise, and he’s certainly easy on the eyes if nowhere else.

“Squall,” Squall corrects. It’s not the first time.

“Right, I knew it was something rather absurd,” he says, as if a man named  _ Genesis Rhapsodos _ should really go around making fun of anyone’s name. “Noctis will be training you today, he’s competent enough that you shouldn’t break anything.”

“Um,” says Squall. He wonders if Genesis remembers that his answer to  _ have you ever used an espresso machine _ was “do the ones at travel stations count?”

Genesis waves a hand and scoffs. “You’re a physics major, aren’t you? If you can’t figure out how to steam milk, you should consider a different major.”

Squall watches Genesis swan out of the establishment, then turns to the other person working behind the counter. “You must be Noctis.”

Noctis is maybe his age or a year older, with ink-black hair and eyes that are so blue they’re very nearly navy. He’s a little taller than Squall, dressed in all black with a pretty kickass pair of boots and one fingerless glove. He looks like maybe he didn’t remember to put the other one on because he just woke up -- all messy-haired and drowsy. He blinks those dark blue eyes at Squall and says, “Hey. Yeah, I’m Noctis. What’s your name, again? Gen said it was _ Tempest _ but I bet that’s not right.”

Yeah, no.  “It’s Squall.” He holds his hand out. “Hey.”

They shake hands, and Squall wonders if Noctis knows he has no idea how to make coffee.

“So, yeah.” Noctis clears his throat. He has a nice voice, throaty and low. “You a student?”

“Do people who aren’t students work at coffee shops?” Squall asks, and Noctis laughs, but he wasn’t actually joking. “Physics. You?”

“Pre-vet,” Noctis says. He leans back against the counter and messes with his phone. “This place gets a lot of liberal arts students, though.”

“Yeah. It’s near my philosophy class.” Squall wonders if he’s supposed to be doing something. The machinery looks expensive and confusing. Isn’t coffee just grounds and water?

“Yeah? Is your professor like, a flamboyant redhead who talks loudly and none of his clothes match?” Noctis asks, flashing a grin at him.

Wait, isn’t that their boss? “I don’t know. My TA is a guy with white hair, but our first lecture’s on Thursday.”

“Oh, yeah. I know him.” Noctis doesn’t elaborate. Maybe he had the same class last year or something. “This is your first year?”

Squall really hates small talk, but he should probably get used to it since he’s working in customer service. “Yeah.”

“Cool. I’m a sophomore. This job isn’t too bad. Gen’s just, uh. Opinionated. But mostly about shit I don’t care about, so if you don’t have any thoughts about Loveless – the play --  or Lord Avon, you should be okay. My roommate Gladio came in here and almost ended up on the Do Not Serve List with his dad.”

Squall blinks. “The…what?”

Noctis snorts. “Right. If you open that door under the cash register? We’re not supposed to let those people in. I don’t really pay attention to it though.”

Squall opens the door. There are at least seventeen names listed under the first entry, which just says, “The Entire Insomnia University Literature Department.” One of the names is his philosophy professor, Dr. Ardyn Izunia, though the TA isn’t on there.

He looks up at Noctis. “I don’t know anyone in the Insomnia University Literature Department.”

Noctis laughs. “Yeah, don’t worry about it. You ever make coffee before?”

Squall shakes his head. “No.” He clears his throat. “Genesis said he hired me for the  _ aesthetic _ .”

Noctis snorts. “He refuses to hire liberal arts majors, and I think he’s got a thing for dudes with bangs who look kinda emo. Here, I’ll show you how to make a latte.”

Noctis doesn’t seem emo and Squall refuses to admit it’s a word – much less one that sort of fits him – so he ignores the comment and heads over to learn how to be a barista.

HIs first shift is pretty painless. The shop isn’t too busy, what with students still figuring out their schedules and trying to get to class on time. Noctis has a lazy sort of confidence and a pretty chill attitude, and spends a lot of time playing a game on his phone when he’s not showing Squall how to do something.

Genesis comes waltzing back in a few times, calling Squall by the wrong name and telling Noctis to restock the napkins. Noctis asks where he lives on campus and where he’s from, but that’s about it for the small talk.

Mostly he just watches Noctis make drinks, restock supplies and take payments. Noctis seems to know a few of the customers pretty well, and he even introduces Squall to a few; there’s a blonde girl he calls Luna, who tips both Noctis and Squall, even though Squall is literally just watching him make her an iced caramel latte, and a guy with glasses who makes Noctis remake his drink three times.

“That’s my roommate, Ignis,” Noctis says with a sigh, when Picky Coffee Dude finally leaves. “He has standards about his coffee. Actually, he says this is the worst coffee shop in Insomnia, and only comes in here when he’s out of Ebony because I let him use my employee discount. Uh. Don’t tell Gen I told you that.”

Squall shrugs. “Whatever.” He didn’t even know they  _ had  _ an employee discount.

His shift is short, just four hours, and when he’s done he heads to the back to return his apron and collect his backpack. He’s got some homework to do and he isn’t sure he’s ready to go back to his room, because his roommate is a hyperactive guy who is constantly eating microwave hotdogs and can’t sit still. Luckily, he’s got a crush on some girl who works at the library so he spends a lot of time there already.

Squall says goodbye to Noctis, who gives him a little half-wave. Squall can’t say he likes anyone much. But Noctis is okay.

Whatever. It’s just a job.

****

It takes him two weeks to notice that Noctis is flirting with him.

They tend to work their shifts together, simply because their class schedules are complementary. Noctis is as chill as he was the very first day, and he doesn’t call Squall by the wrong name like Genesis, so there’s that.

He’s also the son of the university president, which Squall only figures out because his roommate, Zell, tells him after a visit to the coffee shop. Apparently Squall should have known this if he’d just paid attention to Noctis’s last name, which he didn’t because he’d never bothered to ask Noctis what it was. And not only that, but apparently, Noctis’s dad was some important senator when Noctis was little. 

Looking back, the flirting started practically the second time they’d worked together. Squall didn’t notice it at first, but Noctis was always giving him these looks, eyes all heavy-lidded, though at the time Squall thought he was just sleepy. He’d gotten Squall’s number, ostensibly for switching shift purposes, but then said something about “or if you ever wanna hang out.”

He even texted Squall about a party, but Squall figured Noctis just sent it to the wrong number and never replied.

Noctis asks him about his classes and seems genuinely interested in the answer, tries to find a coffee drink that Squall will actually like (so far that hasn’t worked), and finds a lot of reasons to either stand close or touch him. Squall figures that’s just how Noctis is, and he doesn’t mind. He likes his personal space, but Noctis is…all right. The customers seem to like him, and when they’re working together, he’ll work the register so that Squall can make drinks in peace.

(He did that after Squall, who was on the register, just stared at a girl for ordering a vanilla marshmallow latte so long with a look of such judgmental disdain, she’d changed her order to a plain black coffee then tried to dump most of the cream and sugar from the condiment bar surreptitiously into her cup, with her back to him so he couldn’t see.)

“So, hey,” Noctis says, when they’re closing up the shop one weeknight. “You want to grab some dinner or something? I just ate four of those scones and that is definitely not enough.”

Squall, who’s cleaning the espresso machine (he likes that job, it’s methodical and everything comes neatly apart and slides easily back into place), fiddles with the milk steamer. “I have a dining plan.”

“Yeah,” Noctis laughs. “Which, if you said you’re living in Barret Hall, means you’ll be lucky to grab some cold stir-fry before they put everything away for the night.”

Squall just shrugs. “It’s fine. I have a microwave in my room.”

Noctis tilts his head. He’s standing way closer than he needs to. Squall notices that he smells like a combination of coffee and some spicy cologne. It goes together, in some weird way. Like Noctis and that one glove of his, he makes it work.

_ Why am I thinking about how he smells? _

“There’s this really great noodle place a block over. Come with me? I hate to eat alone.” Noctis smiles again, slouching back against the display case where the pastries are.

“I already pay for the dining plan,” Squall says. He’s not trying to be a dick, he’s just broke. His scholarship pays for the necessities, but he hasn’t gotten anything but a couple bucks in tips from the coffee shop yet. “And I’m waiting on that first paycheck.”

“Sure.” Noctis fiddles with that glove of his for a second. “But I was going to offer to buy, you know. It’s only fair, since I asked you.”

Squall frowns at this. He’s pretty sure that being related to the president means Noctis has money, but that doesn’t mean he wants to take advantage of it. “I’ll have money in a few weeks. It’s fine.”

“Yeah, okay,” Noctis says, shrugging. His smile is easy. “No big deal.” With that, he lets Squall finish up cleaning the espresso machine while he goes in the back to count down the drawer.

It isn’t until Squall’s back in his room, eating his dinner (and it is microwaved stir fry, Noctis was right about that) while idly flipping through his homework that he thinks,  _ was he asking me out on a date? _

Wait. No. Was he? Was that what was with the smiles and the touching? Did Noctis --  _ like _ him?

Squall is so surprised by this, he puts down his fork and stares at the same paragraph for five minutes while he tries to work it out like a complicated math problem.

When that doesn’t work -- because math he understands -- he shoves the book aside and opens his laptop. He navigates to Moogle, thinks about it for a second, then types,  _ how to tell if someone likes you _ and tries to ignore how stupid it makes him feel. There are a couple results that are too stupid to consider, and then he sees a link for a Wikihow article called “Five Signs Someone Likes You.”

He hovers over the link for a minute, then glances around to make sure his roommate hasn’t materialized behind him like some silent wizard before clicking.

“One: mutual eye contact.” All right, Noctis does that, sure, but he also does that with other people. Squall’s noticed that because he, himself, rarely makes eye contact with people so they won’t get the wrong idea and try to talk to him.

“Two: A light touch.” Okay, yeah, Noctis has touched him -- but they work together. Even Squall, who avoids touching people as much as possible, has done so to Noctis, so. Again, not really anything that can’t be explained away by working together, right?

“Three: Inward leaning.” Squall has to think about this one for a minute, then remembers how, when asking for his number, Noctis did lean in as if he were making sure Squall put the numbers in right on his phone. Which, if Squall didn’t know how to correctly transcribe numbers, he shouldn’t be in college.

“Four: mirroring body position.” That one’s harder to pin down, but…maybe? They work at a job where they stand up for several hours at a time. Of course they lean on things. It’s not like they can sit down when they’re behind the counter.

“Five: Removing barriers. Barriers include personal items such as purses, newspapers, magazines, cups, cushions, and similar items.” Well okay, but they work at a coffee shop. Squall spends a lot of time tidying up, whisking cups off the counter when Noctis is manning the register, or snagging the stacks of napkins to restock them. But can’t that just be explained away by the nature of their job?

Squall realizes, with a little thrill of fear, that the person doing all of these things is  _ him _ . And he’s noticed more than once that Noctis is attractive, sure, he’s so pretty that complete strangers stare at him all the time. Hell, a girl even flat-out snapped a picture and told Noctis, bluntly, “You don’t have a problem with me putting this on Hasteagram with the hot baristas hashtag, do you?”  

Squall hastily hits the back button three times, then slams his laptop closed and goes back to his homework. He doesn’t know what to do about this, either the idea that maybe Noctis likes him or that he might like Noctis. Squall doesn’t like  _ anyone,  _ not really.

Time for physics problems, which can be easily solved.  

***

Noctis is definitely flirting with him.

He’s also a nice guy, and he doesn’t do anything that makes Squall uncomfortable, exactly, other than giving Squall this weird fluttery feeling in his stomach, and now the smell of coffee --even the cheap stuff his roommate Zell makes in the microwave with water from the bathroom sink, which, ew -- makes him think about Noctis standing close to him.

_ I like him _ , Squall realizes, when Noctis’s hand brushes his and sends a zing of electricity up Squall’s spine. This has never happened to him before. He’s not so much surprised it’s a guy he’s attracted to as it’s an actual person, because Squall has never had a crush on anyone in his life. The only person who ever made him feel anything but his usual general apathy was Seifer, but anger is definitely not the same thing as attraction.

Right? Ugh. That’s a whole other Moogle search, and he is not interested.

There’s really only way to figure this out, which is to acquire more information. So he waits until they’re alone closing up the shop on a Friday night, and it’s nearly ten by the time they’re done cleaning. Noctis puts the money in the safe in Genesis’s office, and while he’s in there, Squall slides his apron off and says, “Hey. Noctis?”

“Yeah?” Noctis calls, poking his head out. “You can call me Noct, you know. I told you that before. Only the professors and my dad call me Noctis.”

“Oh. Okay. Remember when you asked me to go get dinner?”

“Yeah?”

Squall takes a deep breath. “Why’d you ask me?”

Noctis comes out of Genesis’s office and pulls the door shut. He comes over to where Squall is standing and leans against the wall --  _ mirroring Squall’s pose _ \-- and gives him a bashful smile. “Why do you think?”

“Uh.” Squall clears his throat. “You were hungry?”

Noctis grins. It’s not a smile Squall’s seen before, but there’s a husky, low little laugh that goes with it and makes Squall’s face flush hot. “Um. Actually, I --” he gives a little shake of his head, strands of his messy hair falling in his face, and then he leans in and he’s right there, smelling like coffee and a little like the vanilla syrup he’d spilled on accident and his mouth is pressing against Squall’s and  _ oh _ .

So he wasn’t wrong, then.

It’s an awkward kiss, because Squall has no idea what to do. Noctis might, but Squall isn’t making it easy since he’s just standing there. Noctis pulls back, and his face is bright red.

“Um.” He definitely isn’t making eye contact now. “If you’re not -- you know. It’s cool.”

Squall blinks, feeling completely -- he doesn’t even know. He’s too warm, and that jittery feeling in his stomach is back with a vengeance. “If I’m not what?”

“Into it,” Noctis says, his face still red, gazing intently at the hooks with the aprons over Squall’s shoulder. “Just, it’s fine.”

“I think I am,” Squall says, and then, “but you stopped before I could tell for sure.”

Noctis gives him a startled look. “You were just standing there.”

“Right. I was figuring it out.” This is the most uncomfortable conversation of Squall’s entire life, but also sort of exciting. “I’m not very good with people.”

“I kinda noticed,” Noctis says, but he’s smiling a little. “You really want to get a job serving coffee?”

“There aren’t a lot for students without experience.” Squall clears his throat. “I don’t have experience in coffee  _ or  _ kissing.”

“Yeah. I think I figured that out,” Noctis says, then moves closer. “Does that mean you want me to try again?”

Squall nods. “Yeah. Don’t stop so fast, this time.”

“Okay.” Noctis gives a little huff of a laugh. “You’re kinda weird.”

Squall definitely knows that. But Noctis is there again, close like before, and this time he at least expects what’s going to happen. Which means he’s paying a lot more attention to how it feels when Noctis kisses him; Noct’s lips are dry, a little chapped, and his body is so warm.

“Tell me if I should stop,” Noct murmurs.

Squall shivers a little at Noctis’s breath against his mouth, but he manages to nod before Noctis kisses him, again. Noctis shifts closer this time, his hands resting lightly on Squall’s hips.

“You might be weird, but I like you,” Noctis says, when he pulls back. “You decide if you like it or not?”

“Yeah,” Squall says, pulling him in closer. “I like it. But you don’t have to stop.”

“Cool.” Noctis’s smile is dorky but Squall doesn’t mind. He leans in again, and for the next few minutes they stand there kissing, with Squall pressed up against the old-school timeclock Genesis insists they use for “authenticity.” It’s not very comfortable, but Squall doesn’t mind -- especially when Noctis’s tongue licks tentatively at his bottom lip, the intention clear enough that even Squall can’t mistake it.

He opens his mouth, and when he feels Noctis’s tongue slide against his, he makes a soft sound of surprised pleasure. Suddenly it makes so much more sense why people want to do this.

He reflexively pulls Noctis in closer, and then he feels something hard pressing against his thigh. The reality of what that is crashes over him and he breaks away, wondering if he should say something. Or should he just ignore it?  

“You okay?” Noctis asks, and his voice is all rough and Squall really likes how it sounds.

“Yeah.” Squall swallows, pressing his thigh lightly against the hard pressure of Noctis’s erection. He likes the way it makes Noctis gasp, then kiss him again with increasing fervor.

“Noctis? Squall? Are you two still here?”

Noctis leaps away from him with a surprising amount of grace. “Hey, Gen, yeah. We were, uh. Just locking up.” Noctis reaches down, adjusting himself, and then he gives Squall a look that it takes Squall way too long to figure out means  _ you should probably do that, too _ .

Right. Noctis isn’t the only one who’s hard. Squall grabs his apron off the hook and holds it in front of him, trying to look as if he hasn’t been kissing Noctis for the last -- shit, how long  _ was  _ it?

Genesis breezes in, takes one look at the two of them and bursts out laughing. “Oh, yes, I’m sure you were  _ locking up _ . At any rate, go on and get out of here, I’ll take care of it.”

Squall keeps the apron where it is. If Genesis asks, he’ll just say he’s taking it home to wash it.

***

“So, that happened.” Noctis gives him a shy smile. “Sorry?”

“Why? You didn’t make him come back,” says Squall, blinking. “Or did you mean sorry for kissing me? Don’t be. I liked it.”

“Glad we cleared that up,” Noctis says, shoving his hands in his pockets. “You, uh. Want to do it some more? I can tell my roommate to get lost for a little while.”

“We -- mine went home for the weekend,” Squall says. “If you want, you can come to my room.”

“Definitely.” As they head toward Barret Hall, Noctis says, “I should probably tell you...I haven’t ever messed around with a guy before.”

“Me, either,” Squall says, and then, “I haven’t messed around with anyone.”

“I had a girlfriend in high school. We broke up, got back together….you’ve met her. Luna?”

“Iced caramel latte?” Squall asks.

Noctis gives a soft chuckle. He’s walking very close to Squall, not quite touching, but enough that it keeps that jittery feeling alive and well in Squall’s stomach. “Yeah. But we’re just friends now, it’s cool. Since I’m single and it’s a new year and everything….”

Squall tilts his head, thinking. “You’re experimenting.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Noctis is quiet for a minute. “That doesn’t make me sound like a douche, does it?”

“It doesn’t make you sound like anything,” Squall says, bluntly. He’s utterly clueless on how to navigate conversations like this. “It’s just what you’re doing.”

They’re in the heart of the lively university district, and they have to dash around a few groups of drunk and on-the-way-to-being-drunk people. “Anyway, yeah. I wanted to – with a guy. And you’re pretty hot, so.” He gives Squall a small smile.  

“Oh. Thanks. You -- are too?” Squall winces when he realizes that sounds more like a question than a compliment. “You probably should’ve found someone way better at this than me. I’ve had people tell me that trying to have a conversation with me is frustrating. They’d probably faint if I said someone actually wanted to kiss me.”

Noctis laughs. “Nah. You’re doing okay. But does that mean you haven’t dated anyone?”

“What do you think?” Squall says, dryly. “No. I’ve never really wanted to, though.” He’s a little apprehensive about where this going. “Is that what you want?”

“I have no idea,” Noctis says. “Is that okay? I don’t want to lead you on. You’re cool, and I like kissing you. But ‘m not sure I’m ready to have a boyfriend.”  

“It’s fine,” Squall assures him, a little relieved. He’s not sure he’s up for whatever dating someone means. Kissing involves a lot less talking, though, so he’s definitely up for that.

***

Once they’re inside Squall’s room, he makes sure to lock the door and says, “Should I leave the overhead light on? I don’t really know how this works.”

“Uh.” Noctis rakes a hand through his hair and sits on Squall’s bed, which is neatly made. “How about just the desk lamp?”

Squall flips off the main light and Noctis reaches over to turn on the desk lamp, which throws a nice, warm golden glow into the room. It’s much better than the harsh fluorescent, which makes it feel like they’re back in the coffee shop.

Squall sits on the edge of the bed next to Noctis and starts taking his boots off.

Noctis does the same, after a second, and pulls off his jacket and that one glove. “Do you actually make your bed every day?”

“I grew up in an orphanage,” Squall says, raking a hand through his hair. His stomach is doing flipflops again. “We had to.”

“Oh, uh.” Noctis blinks at him, straightening. “That’s rough.”

“Not really.” Squall doesn’t want to talk about his childhood, especially not now. “It really only takes like two minutes if you know how to do it. It’s not a very big bed, either.”

Noctis flashes a grin at him, and it gets Squall’s breathing coming a little faster. “Yeah. You are definitely weird.” He leans in, and Squall leans in to meet him, and then they’re kissing again.

Noctis catches Squall’s lower lip between his teeth and tugs, lightly. Squall hears himself make a hungry noise and then Noctis’s tongue is in his mouth, stroking against his and sending blood rushing straight to Squall’s cock.  

It’s sort of hard to kiss someone when you’re sitting next to them, though, so eventually Noctis pulls back and says, “Hey, you want to lay down? I hear if you mess the bed up, it only takes two minutes to fix it.”

Squall huffs out a breathless laugh. “Okay.” He shifts so he’s lying on his side with his back to the wall, and Noctis slots right next to him and starts kissing him again before Squall barely has a chance to catch his breath.

Squall likes how Noct’s mouth is slick and yet firm, the way he sucks on Squall’s tongue and nibbles his lower lip again. He remembers that whole “mirroring” thing and since it’s probably pretty obvious he likes Noctis considering they’re on his bed kissing, he tries it himself and feels a renewed rush of desire when Noctis makes a soft little noise of his own.

He’s not sure what to do with his hands, but before he can figure out if asking is going to ruin the mood, Noctis reaches down and tugs at his shirt. “You cool with taking this off?”

“Y-yeah.” His body feels too-hot, and when Noctis pulls his shirt off the air is cool on his flushed skin. He breaks out in goosebumps when Noctis starts running his hands over him, and when he experimentally drags his short nails down Squall’s back, he arches and makes the loudest sound of pleasure he’s ever made in his life.

“You like that,” Noctis murmurs, voice low. “Cool.”

Squall kisses him with intensity, though he’s still not entirely sure what he’s supposed to be doing with his hands. His cock is uncomfortably hard in his pants, and he keeps fighting the urge to reach down and rub his hand over himself. Instead, he slips a hand under Noctis’s shirt and his fingers skirt over the muscles of Noctis’s lower stomach, and he slides his other hand into Noctis’s dark, messy hair to hold him still.

“Mmm. Fuck,” Noctis breathes, and Squall feels Noctis’s abdominals tense under his hand. “You can take my shirt off, too. If you want.”

He does want. Squall half-sits and pulls at the fabric of Noctis’s t-shirt, and Noctis obligingly lifts his arms. Squall tosses the shirt to the floor, and they go back to kissing. He likes the warmth of Noctis’s skin against his own, and explores the muscles of Noctis’s arms and shoulders with an increasingly confident touch.

This close, with their legs tangled up together, he can feel Noctis’s erection so he figures he must be doing  _ something _ right. Squall’s hand drifts down, and his fingers brush over scar tissue marring the smooth skin of Noctis’s lower back.

“I was in a car accident,” Noctis says, even though Squall doesn’t ask. “It’s – I’ll tell you about it later. If you want.”

He wouldn’t mind hearing the story if Noctis wants to tell him, but later.

Eventually, Noctis pushes on Squall’s shoulders and pushes a little; Squall takes the hint and moves to his back, so Noctis is braced above him.  Noctis kisses his neck, and the sharp jut of his collarbones, and lower on his chest. Squall pants up at the ceiling and thanks whoever is listening that his roommate decided to go home for the weekend.

“You are  _ really  _ hot,” Noctis says, voice hot against Squall’s skin. He leans down and sucks Squall’s nipple into his mouth, which is -- weird, mostly, and he’s not sure how he feels about it, but if Noctis likes it then he can probably --

Noctis bites, not too hard, but hard enough that Squall’s back arches and he gasps, hand tangling in Noctis’s hair again.

Noctis lifts his head and flashes a grin up at him. He’s really hot, too, and if Squall wasn’t half out of his mind, drowning under this flood of new sensations, he would return the compliment. He bites again, and Squall all but  _ thrashes  _ beneath him, half out of his mind with how good this feels. He’s pretty sure there’s a wet spot on the front of his pants and he doesn’t even care.

Squall tugs at Noctis’s hair to lift his head and says, too turned on to feel awkward or embarrassed or anything but desperate, “Get on top of me.”

“Fuck, yeah, okay.” Noctis kisses him with exuberance, all messy and hot, then sort of gracelessly shifts so he’s lying on top of Squall. And  _ finally  _ there’s pressure on Squall’s cock and it feels so, so good. Noctis gives a tentative push of his hips, rubbing his own erection against Squall’s, and they both moan.

“This okay?” Noctis asks, braced above him with his elbows on either side of Squall’s head. He gives another little push of his hips.

It’s better than okay. It’s  _ great.  _ Squall, who refused to eat candy as a child because it tasted too good and was therefore suspicious, can do nothing but arch up and rub against Noctis, making more noise than he’s ever made in his entire life as Noctis starts rutting against him.

Noctis is all warm skin and shifting muscles on top of him, and Squall rubs his hands over Noctis’s firmly muscled back, enjoying the sounds Noctis makes against his mouth and how his hips grind down, increasing the pressure against both their erections.

After a few more long, delicious moments, Noctis’s hand drifts down his chest and lower, over his stomach and stops just above the waistband of his jeans. Before Noctis can even ask, Squall reaches down and pushes Noctis’s hand lower. That first touch, even through the denim, makes Squall’s head slam back as his hips push up in desperation.

He thought the pressure of Noctis’s cloth-covered cock felt good on his own… _ gods _ . No wonder people like doing this. Noctis looks very pleased with himself, rubbing his palm over the shape of Squall’s cock through the denim with perfect pressure.

The fact Squall’s allowed to have this, might in fact get to do it again and not have to try dating or talking or having feelings…it’s like the grown-up version of the candy from when he was a kid. Almost too good to be believed.

Noctis rubs him a little more, then shifts so he’s kneeling on either side of him. His hair is a complete mess, his cheekbones are flushed and his eyes are heavy-lidded, pupils dilated so much that Squall can barely see the blue anymore. His mouth is parted and wet, swollen from kissing,

Squall just  _ stares _ at him.  _ Yeah, fuck candy. This is way better. _

“I wanna jerk you off,” Noctis says, and his voice is rough and eager, his breathing just as labored as Squall’s own. “Is that – is that okay?”  

It’s not going to take long, in fact, Squall can feel that he’s wet in his underwear and if Noctis had been rubbing his cock when he asked, he would have come before his jeans were even unbuttoned. He nods and watches Noctis work with quick, jerky motions to get his belt off and his jeans unzipped. He tugs at the fabric, and Squall lifts his hips so Noctis can pull them down along with his boxer-briefs to free his erection.

“I’ve only ever done this to myself, so...let me know if you like it some other way, okay?” Noctis stares down at Squall’s cock, lying flushed and hard against his stomach. It’s wet at the tip, and Squall wonders if Noctis can tell.

Noctis reaches down and touches his cock, running his long fingers up and down the shaft. He takes it in a loose grip and starts moving his hand, trying a few different ways of holding his wrist. He laughs, the sound low and aroused. “Sorry, I’m – it’s just that it’s  _ backwards _ .”

Squall would laugh, but he’s too busy trying not to come and end this before it really gets started.  

Noctis eventually gets his wrist the right way, and after a few strokes Squall reaches down again and wraps his hand around Noctis’s. “Tighter, it’s -- yeah, like that, oh --” It feels nothing like it does when he does this himself, which he doesn’t even do that often but if it felt like this, maybe he would.

“Fuck, this is hot,” Noctis breathes, jerking him faster. “You -- you get. Slick. Wet.”

Squall, a little embarrassed, bites his lower lip and lowers his gaze -- but Noctis gives that same husky, sexy-as-fuck laugh and says, “Hey, no, trust me, I like it. Does it feel good?”

“Yeah,” Squall says, and he can hear his own rough, panting breaths spilling out of his mouth. “I’m -- um -- I’m gonna --”

“Go ahead,” Noctis says, as if Squall would have been able to stop it.  

Squall drags in a ragged breath and holds it as his body tightens, every muscle going tense as he comes in Noctis’s hand. It feels amazing, and when the last pulse shivers through him he blinks his eyes open to find Noctis rubbing a hand over himself through his pants. Squall’s lightheaded from holding his breath, his body trembling a little in the aftermath, and though he’s vaguely aware he should be embarrassed about making a mess he can’t seem to care about that at all.

When he can breathe somewhat normally, he half sits and goes to push Noctis down, wanting to return the favor. If having someone else do that to him felt that good, then he has a feeling it’s going to feel just as good to  _ do  _ it, too.

Plus, he really wants to see what Noctis looks like when he comes.

Noctis goes easily to his back, letting Squall lean over him and kiss him. They don’t speak, Squall just reaches down and waits for Noctis to nod his consent before he gets to work on Noctis’s pants. He’s not sure exactly how to do this, but he’s determined to try. If Noctis figured it out, then Squall figures he can, too.

It’s like a physics problem. Kind of.

Noctis’s cock is hot and smooth, and it’s slick but maybe not as slick as Squall’s was. He likes the weight of it, even if Noctis was right – doing this to someone else  _ is  _ like doing it backwards – and he tries a few things, wanting to get those gasping little sounds of pleasure out of Noctis, wanting to make this as good for Noctis as it was for him.

“Tell me what you like,” Squall says, staring down at him intently. “Show me how to do it right.”

Noctis gets a hand around his and shows him the speed and pressure he likes, then says, “Kiss me while you’re doing it,” and Squall settles at Noctis’s side and kisses him. Noctis curls his body toward Squall, pushing his hips into each stroke.

“That’s – yeah, that’s good,” Noctis breathes, against Squall’s mouth. “That’s – mmm. Yeah. Don’t stop.” 

He doesn’t last much longer than Squall did, and when he comes it’s with a low moan into Squall’s mouth and he reaches down to make Squall’s hand even tighter around his cock. Squall’s almost worried he’s hurting him, but it’s clear from the way Noctis’s body jerks and the sounds he’s making that he likes it, so. To each their own.  

While Noctis gets his breathing back under control, Squall climbs off the bed and finds a towel so they can clean up a bit. Then he puts on a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt, and eventually Noctis swings his legs over the side of the bed and goes to put his clothes on, too.

Squall knows he needs to wash the comforter but since it’s late, he just flips it over so they can sit down again – there really isn’t anywhere else, it’s a pretty small room. The room smells like sex, and they sit together with their backs pressed against the cinderblock wall, shoulders touching, looking on Noctis’s phone for a place that’s open and will deliver food.

There are plenty, but it’s the weekend and the wait times are ridiculous. Squall finds a few packages of Cup Noodle and, because he’s not a heathen like his roommate, grabs some bottled water from his mini-fridge and heats it up in his  _ Shiver Me Timber!  _ coffee mug. He adds it to the Cup Noodle, and it’s not the most amazing dinner in the world, but hey. It’s something.

After Squall tosses their empty containers into the trash, Noctis yawns. “Wow, it’s late. I’m gonna get an Uber home, I think. I might fall asleep if I tried walking.”

Squall almost says he can sack out on his roommate’s bed if he wants, since Zell won’t be back until Sunday. But he doesn’t want to make things weird, so he stays quiet as Noctis pulls the app up on his phone.

Before he goes down to meet the driver, Noctis pulls him in and kisses him. “That was great. If you want to do that again, I’m totally up for it.”

Squall feels more than a little proud of himself that his first time was with someone as attractive as Noctis. “That – sure. Yeah. I’d like that.” Maybe he should have some better snacks on hand, just in case.

When Noctis is gone, Squall lays on his bed and puts his hands beneath his head, thinking about what just happened. He wonders if Noctis is the first person he’s ever been attracted to, or if it’s just the first time he bothered to notice. It’s probably impossible to know for sure.  

His phone buzzes, and when he checks it he has a message from Noctis.

_ Noctis (Loveless): hey thnx again that was fun ;) _

_ Noctis (Loveless): but dnw things to be weird so _

_ Noctis (Loveless): just tell me if you want to be friends w/o benefits _

_ Noctis (Loveless): that cool? _

Squall has to smile. Noctis is a nice guy. He’s attractive, and considerate, and definitely good with his hands. Squall liked everything they did together. He wouldn’t mind doing it again, or trying a few new things. And he’s sort of relieved he’s not going to have to figure out how to be someone’s boyfriend and all that other stuff.

_ Me: friends w/benefits sounds good _

_ Me: tbh I’m better at that than talking _

_ Noctis (Loveless): I wasn’t going to say that, but… _

_ Noctis (Loveless): :) _

_ Noctis (Loveless): glad you had fun too tho   _

_ Me: it was better than studying _

_ Noctis (Loveless): haha _

_ Noctis (Loveless): wow, Squall _

_ Noctis (Loveless): i’m flattered lol _

_ Noctis (Loveless): okay cool well night sleep well _

_ Me: you too _

Squall thinks for a moment, then goes to Noctis’s contact information and changes it from  _ Noctis (Loveless) _ to just  _ Noct _ . It seems like a good idea.

And it also seems like Squall made a friend, which, really, is more surprising than the fact he maybe, technically, just got laid.

College really isn’t that bad, so far.

**Author's Note:**

> I read the transmutation of "Instagram" to "Hasteagram" in @higharollakockamiamie's fic [The Temptation of St. Anthony But With This Guy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11887434), possibly my favorite fic ever, so all credit for that one goes to her.


End file.
